


Impact

by theskywasblue



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Bruises, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-22
Updated: 2010-08-22
Packaged: 2017-10-11 05:15:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/108810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theskywasblue/pseuds/theskywasblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hakkai, Gojyo and the no-man's land between them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Impact

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chomiji](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=chomiji).



The pre-dawn sky was the same shade of purple as the bruise spreading on Gojyo's neck and jaw. Thinking of it that way, it seemed almost beautiful, Hakkai could, for a moment, swallow down the rage that he could feel humming through the muscles and tendons in his arms, running through him with such force that he could feel it pulling him upright, singing along his spine like electricity.

It happened so rarely – half-breeds were so few and far between, the legends about them so varied and often preposterous that Gojyo was almost never recognized for what he was – but when it happened, the results were always...raw.

"You really should let me do something about that."

"Nah man," Gojyo's voice cracked, hoarse enough to make Hakkai worry about tracheal damage. "You should worry about the other guy."

The _other guy_ was very likely on his way to the nearest doctor to have his jaw set. And his arm, and a few ribs. Hakkai's knuckles still hurt.

"I'm sure his friends will worry about him more than enough."

Gojyo coughed, scraped a hand across his forehead, "You fucked him up, didn't you?"

"Ahaha..." For once, Hakkai wished he could summon something other than forced laughter as he leaned against the wall of the inn, almost but not quite touching Gojyo's shoulder.

"I don't want you to fight my battles for me, Hakkai."

"It can hardly be called a battle when one of the participants isn't fighting back."

"I was working my way up to it."

"That I do not doubt."

The sun sank, light petering out between the buildings, retreating like a kicked dog. Gojyo lit a cigarette and smiled through his pain.

"Talk to me Hakkai."

"About what?"

"About anything."

But Hakkai didn't know the words to use. He and Gojyo had been not-having this particular branch of conversation for years; it was very carefully delineated no-man's land between them, much like discussions about Jien and Kanan, talk about Gojyo's time before the two of them met or about Hakkai's time in the orphanage.

"Gojyo..." He stepped away from the wall, turned so that he and Gojyo were eye to eye in the darkness and laid his hand on Gojyo's swollen jaw, feeling the heat of bruised flesh against his palm. Gojyo flinched, so minutely that he probably hoped Hakkai couldn't tell.

"Hakkai stop – I don't..." He bit his lip, obvious, even in the darkness. "You don't have to worry about me. I don't deserve it."

"No," Hakkai nodded, slipping his hand down the line of Gojyo's neck, letting his qi close up torn blood vessels. He could smell the rich, warm leather of Gojyo's jacket and feel the nervous, dragonfly-flutter of the pulse in his neck. "You deserve much more than this."

Gojyo made a soft sound that Hakkai didn't dare identify; there wasn't enough light to see by, but he thought he could picture the look on Gojyo's face – pained and a little bit desperate.

But it was a pain that no amount of qi could soothe; and certainly, Hakkai had tried - in all the ways he could think of - to soothe it.

"There you are," Hakkai smiled into the darkness, two fingers resting carefully on the tiny tuck at the base of Gojyo's throat. "Now that you're presentable for polite company, should we go back inside?"

"Nah, man, let's stay out here. Company's for shit in that place."

-End-


End file.
